Before the army set out, an order was given to the cooks’ camp to light fires and prepare food so that the soldiers could have a full meal.

Fan Changyu went to help slaughter pigs. The old soldiers of the cooks’ camp, who were still spreading tales of her deeds, said to a newly transferred soldier who had come to assist, “Miss Fan truly has the courage of Mulan!”

The new soldier was illiterate. He scratched his head and asked, “Who is Mulan?”

The old soldier gave him a disdainful look. “You don’t even know Hua Mulan? A great hero of the Northern and Southern Dynasties! Her father had no sons. When the imperial court conscripted soldiers, she feared her father would die on the battlefield. So she disguised herself as a man and joined the army in his place for eleven years, establishing great military merits!”

The new soldier was astonished. “A woman, how did she stay in the army for eleven years without anyone finding out?”

This question clearly stumped the old soldier. He said impatiently, “That’s just how it’s written in the plays. She had the ability, that’s all. In the end, the emperor even conferred honors upon her!”

The speaker spoke without intent, but the listener took it to heart.

From the moment Fan Changyu learned that the army would be setting out, her heart had been hanging in suspense, never once able to settle.

Now, upon hearing the old soldier tell the story of Hua Mulan, her hand—wiping blood from the pig-slaughtering knife—paused, and a bold idea quietly surfaced in her heart.

She had previously noticed that Xiao Wu seemed rather close to Yan Zheng. Upon asking, she found that they had once belonged to the same squad. Knowing that Yan Zheng had a bad temper and fearing that he might offend others and have no one to rely on in battle, she had asked about the other members of their squad, intending to help him maintain comradeship. Who would have thought—Yan Zheng said that the others were all dead, leaving only him and Xiao Wu.

Now, with the entire army mobilized, he and Xiao Wu were to be assigned to different battalions again.

With the units reorganized, there would not be a single familiar face. On the battlefield, having someone to look after you would be all the more difficult.

With Yan Zheng’s injuries, this time he would most likely go and never return.

If she went to fight in his place, and he took Changning to stay with the cooks’ and logistics troops in the rear, perhaps their lives could be preserved to the greatest extent.

If she took Yan Zheng’s place on the battlefield, he would not be considered a deserter. Moreover, apart from Xiao Wu, no one in the new battalion knew Yan Zheng. Xiao Wu would surely keep her secret. She could take Yan Zheng’s place in battle without anyone noticing. When she returned, they could simply switch back again.

Once the thought arose, she could not suppress it no matter what.

Along this journey, she had lost too many relatives and friends. Just the thought of Yan Zheng being hacked to death amid chaos on the battlefield made her chest tighten painfully, as if gripped by an unseen hand.

After leaving the cooks’ camp, Fan Changyu went straight to the infirmary camp.

The military physician was not there; a half-grown youth was tending the fire, decocting medicine for those wounded soldiers who were so badly injured they still could not get out of bed.

The youth was called Wu Sanjin. It was said that his mother had given birth to him while fleeing from famine. At that time, all the adults on the road were skin and bones—how could there have been any nourishment for a child? He weighed only three jin when he was born. His parents thought he would not survive, yet unexpectedly, he grew up healthy. Thus, they named him “Sanjin” (Three Jin).

After joining the army, he was assigned to the logistics unit because of his small stature.

When he saw Fan Changyu, Wu Sanjin immediately greeted her warmly. “Sister Changyu, are you here to find Doctor Han? Doctor Han went out.”

Doctor Han was the physician who had treated Xie Zheng.

Fan Changyu said, “I came to find you.”

Wu Sanjin held the palm-leaf fan he was using to fan the fire, looking puzzled. “To find me?”

Whenever Fan Changyu was feeling guilty, her expression would become all the more upright and righteous. She asked, “Do you know where the knockout drug is kept?”

Wu Sanjin, having done odd jobs in the infirmary these past days, was well familiar with where the medicines were placed. He said, “Of course I know. Sister Changyu, what do you need knockout medicine for?”

Fan Changyu continued with an upright look: “I want to hunt a few wild boars. After the army triumphantly returns we can hold a welcome feast. If I mix the knockout drug into coarse bran to make a trap, it will be easier to hunt some.”

Wu Sanjin believed her without suspicion and quickly went into the tent to fetch a packet of powdered medicine, handing it to Fan Changyu: “This is enough to hunt ten wild boars.”

Fan Changyu thanked him, tucked the packet of powder into her bosom, and left.

· ─ ·✶· ─ · 

Inside the main tent, the bodyguards who had been feigning illness for days had already put on their armor.

Xie Wu reported the frontline situation to Xie Zheng: “Our vanguard has intercepted the rebels and we only await the main force to encircle them. But a scout reported that the rebels secretly withdrew some troops last night; Sui Yuanqing was among them.”

Xie Zheng’s eyes darkened sharply. “Order Chen Liang to lead a thousand elite cavalry in pursuit.”

Xie Wu bowed: “Underling will issue the order at once.”

Standing by the door, Xie Qi suddenly said, “The madam is here!”

Xie Zheng and the other bodyguards in the tent all changed expression slightly.

Fan Changyu carried a bowl of soup into the tent and found that the wounded soldiers inside were all dressed and armored, as if ready to return to camp at any moment.

After greeting Fan Changyu with restraint, they took their belongings and left.

Xie Wu glanced at Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng, then stood and said, “I’ll go back and make preparations as well.”

Only Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng remained in the tent. Fan Changyu set the soup on the table and asked him, “How are your preparations going?”

Xie Zheng smiled wryly: “What else is there to prepare for going to battle besides weapons?”

Fan Changyu picked up the battered armor hanging by his bedside, looked at the degree of wear, and frowned: “How can you wear armor torn like this? I’ll mend it for you.”

That infantry armor had been found earlier by Xie Wu. The other wounded soldiers in the infirmary all hung their armor by their beds; if their beds did not have armor nearby, Fan Changyu could not help but be suspicious.

Xie Zheng had been pondering the battle situation, but his gaze unconsciously fell on Fan Changyu. Watching her thread the needle, he could not help but stare.

The last time he went to war, he had not even exchanged a proper farewell with Fan Changyu. This time, setting out, he suddenly felt his heart twist and turn.

Neither of them spoke. Fan Changyu kept her eyes lowered and focused on mending the torn armor. A stray lock of hair fell down and brushed her fair profile; her small, pale ear peeked from her dark hair. In that moment her expression was gentle and serene.

Of course, if one looked at her stitching, it was neither very gentle nor very serene.

Unfortunately Xie Zheng did not notice that; his gaze lingered on the small ear half-hidden in black hair for a long time. As if compelled, he raised a hand and tucked that stray lock behind her ear. When his fingertip touched her pale, small ear, Fan Changyu looked up at him.

The wicked impulse in his heart suddenly could not be suppressed. The finger that should have withdrawn instead tightened and went around the back of her head.

He bent and kissed her—tender, and not entirely tender.

One hand thrust into Fan Changyu’s hair. Because she did not refuse, when they parted a vein stood out at his temple, his breathing hot, his eyes rimmed red like a wolf that hated not being able to devour her but was forced to stop by the moment.

“Wait for my return.” His clear voice was hoarse.

Fan Changyu’s lips were bitten raw and stung dully. She wanted to slap him but held back. She sincerely proposed, “Yan Zheng, let me go to battle in your place?”

Xie Zheng’s handsome brows almost immediately drew together: “What nonsense are you talking?”

Fan Changyu said, “Your wound hasn’t healed. If on the battlefield you can’t even swing a blade, what then?”

Xie Zheng, recalling the lie he had told earlier, awkwardly said, “I am a blade soldier in the infantry formation, only responsible for mopping up the scattered remnants driven off by the vanguard—there’s not much danger.”

Fan Changyu saw his resolve and, seeming somewhat disappointed, said, “Then take great care.”

She asked again, “Which company of blade soldiers are you in, and under which general?”

Xie Zheng had not expected that Fan Changyu, after several days among the troops, would have become familiar with the camp’s organization. He knew he should not continue to hide it, but with the arrow already on the string he could only spin another lie: “The Left Guard Army, Third Company, under General Li Lian.”

Fan Changyu made a mental note, then brought the bowl of chicken soup from the table over: “I secretly caught a wild chicken and stewed this for you. Drink it, then go back to camp together with Brother Xiao Wu.”

Xie Zheng, unsuspecting, finished the chicken soup in a few mouths.

Fan Changyu looked at him with a somewhat complicated expression and said, “While I am away, please look after Changning for me.”

The whole world tilted. Xie Zheng finally realized something was wrong and his face changed: “You—”

But his body immediately went limp. He had barely taken a step when he collapsed. Fan Changyu caught him and, leaning over the unconscious man, whispered, “I don’t want you to die.”

Afraid someone would inspect the wounded soldiers’ ledger and discover Xie Zheng’s identity, Fan Changyu carried him back to the military tent she shared with Changning without telling anyone.

Seeing Xie Zheng strapped to Fan Changyu’s back, Changning turned pale and asked, “Sister, is brother-in-law going to die again?”

Fan Changyu choked slightly and said, “No. He’s just fallen into a temporary sleep. He should wake in about half an hour. Ning-niang stay in the tent and watch over your brother-in-law. If danger comes and he’s still not awake, prick him with a needle to wake him.”

She had used on him the amount of knockout medicine Wu Sanjin had handed her that would be enough to stupefy a wild boar.

Mainly because Yan Zheng’s willpower was stronger than ordinary people’s, she feared an ordinary dose would not be enough to render him unconscious.

After handing Changning a needle, Fan Changyu unfastened the dagger tied to her trouser leg and gave it to her: “Just in case, take this dagger too. Remember, if danger comes, prick your brother-in-law first; use the needle, not the dagger. Once he wakes he can protect you.”

Changning pinched the embroidery needle in one hand and gripped the dagger in the other, nodding hard, but could not help asking, “Sister, where are you going?”

Fan Changyu said, “I’m going to fight those bad men who took Ning-niang and Bao’er. After I beat them, I’ll come back.”

Changning grabbed at a corner of Fan Changyu’s garment, her black grape-like eyes watery with worry: “Then Sister must be careful.”

Fan Changyu patted her head: “Don’t worry. Sister is going to avenge you!”

After giving Changning her instructions, Fan Changyu tucked her slaughtering knife and cleaver at her waist and left the main tent, heading toward the Left Guard Army’s camp. By coincidence she ran into Xie Wu on the way.

Seeing her in Yanzhou soldier’s clothing, Xie Wu had a bad premonition and stammered, “Fan… Miss Fan.”

Fan Changyu asked in puzzlement, “Brother Xiao Wu, haven’t you returned to camp yet?”

Xie Wu stiffly said, “I…I came to find Brother Yan.”

Fan Changyu glanced around, grabbed Xie Wu, and whispered, “Brother Xiao Wu, you know my husband is gravely wounded and not yet healed. If he goes to the battlefield it would be certain death. I will go to fight in his stead. Brother Xiao Wu, you must pretend not to know. When this battle is over I will switch back with my husband and no one will ever know.”

Xie Wu thought to himself there was no way no one would know!

Although the battle plans had been made early and each division was being dispatched down the mountain in an orderly fashion, it would be odd if the marquis never appeared from start to finish.

Yet at this moment he did not dare to decide on his own to tell Fan Changyu Xie Zheng’s true identity; he only warned, “Miss Fan, don’t be foolish—this is a grave military taboo. You’ll be beheaded!”

Fan Changyu looked at Xie Wu; those slightly rounded apricot-shaped eyes were earnest and resolute, yet like a hunting tiger or leopard, carrying a chill. She said, “Sorry, Brother Xiao Wu. I just don’t want my husband to die in vain on the battlefield. If he weren’t wounded, I wouldn’t resort to this. Letting him go to the battlefield now would be more dangerous than letting me—my fighting won’t cause any loss to the army. As for punishment for violating military orders, I will bear it fully when I return. My husband was drugged and knocked out by me. To avoid implicating you, Brother Xiao Wu, I will knock you out here as well.”

Seeing Fan Changyu already raising her hand, Xie Wu hurriedly said, “I’ll keep your secret, Miss Fan. We’ll go to fight together; at least on the battlefield there will be someone to look out.”

Fan Changyu didn’t understand how he changed his mind so quickly, but since he had said so she withdrew her hand and said, “Then let us return to camp.”

Xie Wu breathed a great sigh of relief. If she truly made a move, he certainly could not beat this girl.